Lyft Off: Vancouver ride-hailing is a go!
Citizens of Vancouver rejoice! The day has finally come – Uber and Lyft will now be operating Vancouver ride-hailing services within the city’s core.
Famous for being the only major city in North America not offering ride-hailing services, Vancouver has finally bowed to the pressure. The Pacific Transportation Board announced yesterday that both Uber and Lyft had been approved to operate. Both companies are doing a soft launch this morning.
Lyft
Lyft seems to be one step ahead, with marketing across the Lower Mainland and a large workforce already assembled. Their first trip was at 11am this morning. The first two passengers were ex Dragon Vikram Vij and Covenant House CEO Krista Thompson. Covenant House will be the services ‘round up’ charitable organization. Riders will be given the option to round the cost of their rides up to the nearest dollar, with the difference going to charity.
Lyft will be rolling out their service with a limited zone for drop-offs and pick-ups. Currently they offer coverage between Victoria Drive, 41st Avenue, Dunbar and Downtown Vancouver. They will also be offering pick-up service from Vancouver International Airport and the Pacific National Exhibition.
Here is a breakdown of the charges for a ride with Lyft:
- Booking fee: $2
- Minimum fare: $5
- Per km: 65¢
- Per minute: 33¢
- Per hour: $19.80
Uber
Uber also began operations with a soft roll out at 8am this morning. Uber has promised to service a larger area than their competitor, offering drop-offs to Richmond, North and West Vancouver, Coquitalm, Burnaby and parts of Delta. Vancouver proper is the only municipality that has cleared either company for pick-up.
Areas left out by both ride-hailing companies include Langley, White Rock and Maple Ridge. As well, both companies are currently not picking-up or dropping-off at either of the main BC Ferry terminals.
Uber’s price breakdown is very similar, with small differences in the booking fee and cost per km:
- Booking fee: $2.50
- Minimum fare: $5
- Per km: 60¢
- Per minute: 33¢
- Per hour: $19.80
The Vancouver ride-hailing services have acknowledged that surge pricing could raise rates during peak hours of usage. Uber and Lyft drivers will also be charged 30¢ per pick-up between 7am-7pm in the downtown core. This fee is part of the permit program implemented by the City of Vancouver to reduce congestion.
While Uber and Lyft were successful in their applications, two other local companies were denied entry to the BC market. Kater Technologies and ReRyde were both sent back to the drawing board to improve on their business plans.
